Arne Slot has been told that top Feyenoord star Lutsharel Geertruida might not follow him to Liverpool this summer amid fears the Anfield club will endure a harsh decline when Jurgen Klopp leaves.
Liverpool have had an eventful 2024 so far, having won the League Cup but also been dumped out of the FA Cup and Europa League. They remain in the mix for the Premier League title, though the damaging derby loss to Everton has significantly reduced their chances.
Liverpool have also been the subject of plenty of managerial speculation in recent months due to Klopp’s decision to leave at the end of the campaign.
After Xabi Alonso rejected their advances and talks with Ruben Amorim broke down, Liverpool have set their sights on Feyenoord boss Slot.
In a recent interview, Slot admitted he wants to succeed from Klopp at Liverpool and that he is anticipating the two clubs will reach an agreement over his move.
The 45-year-old could bring several of his favoured Feyenoord stars with him to England, including Santiago Gimenez, David Hancko and Lutsharel Geertruida.
Coincidentally, Liverpool were linked with Geertruida towards the start of the season, before anyone knew Klopp was even considering leaving the club.
Geertruida is a right-back who can also operate as a centre-half or in defensive midfield. He spent time in the Sparta Rotterdam academy before joining Feyenoord’s youth setup in 2012.
Liverpool not ‘ideal club’ for Feyenoord star
Since graduating to the Feyenoord first team, Geertruida has made 195 senior appearances, registering 22 goals and 10 assists. The 23-year-old played a crucial role in Slot’s side winning the Dutch title last campaign and has managed seven goals in 44 games this season.
But in an interview with Soccer News, Dutch former manager Aad de Mos urged Geertruida to reject any offers from Slot and Liverpool.
“Well, I don’t know if that [Liverpool] is the ideal club,” he said.
“Usually such a club gets a dip, if a manager has been there for a long time, like Klopp. Then the car has to be booted up again.
“Geertruida shouldn’t go there. No, I think there are more clubs where he can go. But if Liverpool comes and he can get a good contract there, that’s never bad if you start at Liverpool.
“But it’s not like there will be a lot of success right away. Because the team is of course building things up.”
Geertruida could be a great replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, which would allow the Englishman to move into a midfield role permanently.
The Netherlands star has also shown his ability to chip in with goals and assists, which is what Liverpool fans now expect from their full-backs.
